Sony Middle East and Africa reveals today, Werner De Kock as South Africa’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
The National & Regional Awards programme is an initiative set up by Sony and Creo under its photography strand the World Photography Organisation to support local photographic communities around the world, with 56 countries taking part this year. Across this year’s Awards over 419,000 images from over 200 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
National and Regional Award winners were selected from the Open competition, which champions the best single images taken in the past year.
De Kock was anonymously selected by judges for his photograph Crash Landing, entered into the Motion category of the Open competition. Baily Head, in Antarctica, is home to around 100,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins. The photographer watched a conveyor belt of penguins coming and going from the beach, keeping his focus on a single spot and waiting for them to return to the beach as the surf was breaking.
An armature photographer and adventure seeker at heart, De Kock’s passion lies in Landscape and Wildlife photography. During his travels, he’s able to experience the beauty and light which each destination provides. African and Antarctic animals are his favourite to capture as they have amazing personality. Born in South Africa, De Kock fell in love with capturing the country’s beauty, and having grown up in the City of Cape Town, he appreciates the city’s diverse beaches, mountains, great wine on offer with lots of amazing food.
Commenting on his win, De Kock said: ‘It is my great honour to represent my country and be able to show off the beauty and comedy of penguins. I have never thought of entering a photo competition but thought why not give it a try. Thanks to my friends and family who support me and put up with my passion as a photographer.’
As South Africa’s National Award winner, De Kock receives Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.
The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 will be announced on 16 April and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London (17 April – 5 May 2025). For more information about upcoming announcements and winners please visit worldphoto.org.
This year’s National and Regional Awards winners are:
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Bangladesh – Syed Mahabubul Kader Cambodia – Sam Ang Ourng China Mainland – Hao Guo, Winner China Mainland – Yaping Du, 2nd Place China Mainland – KunPeng Zhu, 3rd Place Egypt – Ahmed Abdallah Germany – Timo Zilz India – Rajeev Gaikwad Indonesia – Sim Jhones Gozali Kazakhstan – Anel Bazylova
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Republic of Korea – Kibong Nam, Winner Republic of Korea – Gilyoung Pyo, 2nd Place Republic of Korea – Kyunghwan Oh, 3rd Place Kuwait – Mohammad Mirza Malaysia – Wan Yong Chong Myanmar – Zay Yar Lin Nepal – Rabik Upadhayay Nigeria – Nsikanabasi Effiong Pakistan – Ali Sohail Philippines – Renzer Rev Damaso Poland – Hanna Kantor |
Qatar – Ridhwan Mohammed Rafi Saudi Arabia – Mohammed Muhtasib Singapore – Ng Guang Ze South Africa – Werner De Kock Sri Lanka – Sasindu Pramuditha Taiwan – Chen De-Huang Thailand – Kiyoshi Hijiki Turkey – Rahsan Firtina United Arab Emirates – Donell Gumiran Uzbekistan – Mubina Fayzullaeva Vietnam – Việt Văn Trần |
EUROPEAN REGIONAL AWARDS
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Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania & Moldova: Peter Svoboda (Slovakia), Winner Tomáš Havrda (Czech Republic), Shortlist Attila Domokos (Hungary), Shortlist Irina Zaiteva (Moldova), Shortlist Marian Plaino (Romania), Shortlist |
Latvia, Estonia & Lithuania: Ieva Gailė (Lithuania), Winner Raido Nurk (Estonia), Shortlist Niks Freimanis (Latvia), Shortlist |
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Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina: Marko Buntić (Croatia), Winner Sanja Vrzić (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Shortlist Suer Celina (Kosovo), Shortlist Radojko Bošković (Montenegro), Shortlist Slobodan Blagojeviċ (Serbia), Shortlist Ivan Borko (Slovenia), Shortlist |
Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria & North Macedonia: Panagiotis Rontos (Greece), Winner Yavor Michev (Bulgaria), Shortlist Elena Georgiou (Cyprus), Shortlist Vlatko Rafeski (North Macedonia), Shortlist |
LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL AWARDS
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Lucero Mora Ardila (Mexico), Winner Pedro Jarque Krebs (Peru), 2nd Place Kevin Molano (Colombia), 3rd Place Carola Pettis (Argentina), Shortlist Brian Delgadillo (Bolivia), Shortlist |
Jean Paul De la Harpe Zubiaur (Chile), Shortlist Lior Berman Fernández (Costa Rica), Shortlist Carlos Espinosa (Ecuador), Shortlist Rafael Valladares (Guatemala), Shortlist Cecilia Nion (Uruguay), Shortlist |
